Food Handling and Safety Tips

Posted on 10/19/2017

If you’ve never worked in a kitchen, chances are you haven’t
been taught enough about proper food handling and food safety tips. While
most home chefs use common sense and may know the basics, there are likely
some helpful hints you didn’t’ know when it comes to handling
food safely.

Keep these four basics in mind when thinking about food handling and safety:

Wait until after you select your non-perishable items to put frozen or
refrigerated items in your cart.

Don’t be tempted to buy items marked down because they are at or
past their use by or sell by dates.

Avoid poultry or meat in torn or leaking packages.

Food Storage Tips

Refrigerate all perishable food within two hours, or one hour if food is
exposed to high temperatures.

Use an appliance thermometer to make sure your refrigerator is at 40°F
or below and your freezer is at 0°F or below.

Be sure you cook or freeze ground meats, fresh poultry, fish, and variety
meats within two days.

For other meats like beef, lamb, veal, and pork be sure they are cooked
or frozen within three to five days.

As long as canned foods aren’t exposed to freezing temperatures or
temperatures above 90°F they should be safe indefinitely. Low-acid
canned foods like vegetables and meats can be kept for two to five years,
while high-acid varieties such as fruits and tomatoes are good for 12
to 18 months.

Food Prep Tips

Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap both before
and after you handle food.

Avoid cross-contamination by keeping raw meat, fish, and poultry away from
other foods. Wash the cutting boards, countertops, and utensils used to
cut raw meats with hot soapy water.

If you marinate meat and poultry in the refrigerator, use a covered dish.

Hoersch Home Appliances has all your home appliance needs including cooktops,
freezers, and much more. Give us a call today at 920-733-4406 for more
information.